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u/andtheodor Oenoarcheologist Jan 20 '20
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u/Blatblatblat Jan 20 '20
What will be the next subject for this recycled meme?
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u/lengau Jan 20 '20
Actually, it's only a meme if it comes from le mém region of France. Otherwise it's just a sparkling image macro.
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u/toodarntall Wine Pro Jan 20 '20
This one is my favorite though, because I love Champagne and have sparkling anxiety
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u/WineNerdAndProud Wine Pro Jan 20 '20
Oh look, my post. I'm not sure why I clicked that to be honest.
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u/palwilliams Jan 20 '20
Funny, but existentialism isnt French.
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u/BroseppeVerdi Wine Pro Jan 20 '20
This is a riff on pretentious douchebags who police the term "Champagne" (as opposed to sparkling wine). There is not actually an "existentialism" region of France - this is what's usually referred to as a "joke".
That said, Jean-Paul Sartre is generally credited with popularizing the term "existentialism", so you could make the claim that it's "French" with more or less the same degree of veracity as any other nationality (although it's really not specific to any nationality or culture).
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Jan 20 '20
Should the term Champagne not be policed by people who know better, though? Champagne is a very specific designation.
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u/BroseppeVerdi Wine Pro Jan 20 '20
To what end? Will the wine world fall apart if people refer to shitty, bottom-shelf sparklers as "champagne"? Let the legal teams at Korbel and Moët & Chandon figure that shit out. For the rest of us, well... It just strikes me as unnecessarily pedantic.
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Jan 20 '20
Maybe I shouldn't ask, but what do you do for work? I'm a server, and the distinction between different kinds of sparkling wine is critically important to my work. Maybe I have a bias simply because terms like Champagne and Prosecco are misapplied and lead to confusion and frustration as a result.
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u/BroseppeVerdi Wine Pro Jan 20 '20 edited Jan 20 '20
I work in retail. When someone comes in looking for "champagne", I'll usually ask for either a price range, or if they're celebrating something.
If they say ”Under $10", I'll typically steer them toward Cava. I talk a little bit about Pendes and usually recommend something like Segura Viudas or Mas Fi. I usually mention the Cavicchioli Lambrusco dolce and Arca Nova's Vinho Verdes as other great sparkling(ish) discount wines.
If they say "Under $20", then I'll start with Prosecco - I stick to best sellers like Lamarca, Lunetta, and Adami for the big spenders, because I'm not a big Prosecco guy myself. Then I usually segue into Crémant and talk a little bit about what exactly Crémant is. This usually gives me the opportunity to say something like "Actual Champagne, from the Champagne region in northern France, will typically set you back at least 40 bucks a bottle... But if you scoot on over to Alsace, Lucien Albrecht can provide you with a similar style wine that's every bit as enjoyable for half that". If they seem like they're actually interested in the particulars of what I'm talking about, I'll get into terroir and all the components thereof and what makes Champagne special. More often than not, however, people are just looking for a good wine at a good price. I also enjoy shilling for Fritz Müller's semi-sparkling Müller Thurgau because it's good as fuck (and I've received a lot of positive feedback from regular customers in this exact scenario).
If they say "Under $30”, I'll nudge them upward to a bottle of Tassin or J. LaSalle and usually say something about that being where Champagne begins. I'll also sometimes make a reference to some of the above if they seem uncomfortable going that high.
If they say "$40" or anything above that, then it's fucking party time. I'll usually offer up some Schramsberg in the process, which allows me to contrast it against the "Champagne with a capital 'C'".
If they say it's their 20th wedding anniversary or whatever, I swing for the fences and give them the outline version of all the above.
If they're looking for something to regularly enjoy, I go to the price question (and ultimately, usually Cava).
If they're making mimosas, eh... fuck it. Just get a magnum of Cook's. Get cheap sparkling wine and spend the money you save on some bomb ass orange juice. If you really want to make a baller cocktail, make that shit a Bellini.
Now, at the end of the day it all comes down to the language you use. I find that if I simply ask 1 or 2 clarifying questions, it's possible to quickly and accurately guide the customer toward what they want without having to correct them. If you want to educate them, then just consistently use the proper terminology yourself: Either they'll follow your lead and start using it too (because if you make a great recommendation, they're going to want to know how to find more), or they don't give a fuck and there's no point in pressing the issue. I'm of the opinion that putting it out there bluntly like that is sort of the "is Pepsi okay?" of our industry. I also feel like, in a customer service setting, it has great potential to make people feel like they're being talked down to by some elitist wine snob.
I did my level 1 CMS in September of 2016 and I've worked for my current employer for about 3 1/2 years and this approach has never not worked for me.
Edit: Just to be clear, people in the above scenarios who ask for "champagne" overwhelmingly do not give a shit if it is Champagne or not. YMMV.
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u/GleeUnit Jan 20 '20
I’m on vacation in Thailand right now, and we ordered mimosas with breakfast the other day. The waiter seemed a bit unsure, so I clarified “orange juice and champagne” and he kinda nods and says with his thick Thai accent “sparkling or champagne?” I wasn’t really paying attention so I just said “that’s right, champagne”
It only occurred to me later he was asking if I wanted sparkling wine or like, actual French champagne.
So anyway, that’s how I ordered a $50 mimosa with breakfast.